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ad covered with feathers； and returns to the camp。
In Muralug； one of the Torres Straits Islands； a menstruous woman may not eat anything that lives in the sea； else the natives believe that the fisheries would fail。 In Galela； to the west of New Guinea； women at their monthly periods may not enter a tobacco…field； or the plants would be attacked by disease。 The Minangkabauers of Sumatra are persuaded that if a woman in her unclean state were to go near a rice…field； the crop would be spoiled。
The Bushmen of South Africa think that； by a glance of a girl's eye at the time when she ought to be kept in strict retirement； men become fixed in whatever positions they happen to occupy； with whatever they were holding in their hands； and are changed into trees that talk。 Cattle…rearing tribes of South Africa hold that their cattle would die if the milk were drunk by a menstruous woman； and they fear the same disaster if a drop of her blood were to fall on the ground and the oxen were to pass over it。 To prevent such a calamity women in general； not menstruous women only； are forbidden to enter the cattle enclosure； and more than that； they may not use the ordinary paths in entering the village or in passing from one hut to another。 They are obliged to make circuitous tracks at the back of the huts in order to avoid the ground in the middle of the village where the cattle stand or lie down。 These women's tracks may be seen at every Caffre village。 Among the Baganda； in like manner； no menstruous woman might drink milk or come into contact with any milk…vessel； and she might not touch anything that belonged to her husband； nor sit on his mat； nor cook his food。 If she touched anything of his at such a time it was deemed equivalent to wishing him dead or to actually working magic for his destruction。 Were she to handle any article of his； he would surely fall ill； were she to touch his weapons； he would certainly be killed in the next battle。 Further； the Baganda would not suffer a menstruous woman to visit a well； if she did so； they feared that the water would dry up； and that she herself would fall sick and die； unless she confessed her fault and the medicine…man made atonement for her。 Among the Akikuyu of British East Africa； if a new hut is built in a village and the wife chances to menstruate in it on the day she lights the first fire there； the hut must be broken down and demolished the very next day。 The woman may on no account sleep a second night in it； there is a curse both on her and on it。
According to the Talmud； if a woman at the beginning of her period passes between two men； she thereby kills one of them。 Peasants of the Lebanon think that menstruous women are the cause or many misfortunes； their shadow causes flowers to wither and trees to perish； it even arrests the movements of serpents； if one of them mounts a horse； the animal might die or at least be disabled for a long time。
The Guayquiries of the Orinoco believe that when a woman has her courses； everything upon which she steps will die； and that if a man treads on the place where she has passed； his legs will immediately swell up。 Among the Bri…bri Indians of Costa Rica a married woman at her periods uses for plates only banana leaves； which； when she has done with them； she throws away in a sequestered spot； for should a cow find and eat them； the animal would waste away and perish。 Also she drinks only out of a special vessel； because any person who should afterwards drink out of the same vessel would infallibly pine away and die。
Among most tribes of North American Indians the custom was that women in their courses retired from the camp or the village and lived during the time of their uncleanness in special huts or shelters which were appropriated to their use。 There they dwelt apart； eating and sleeping by themselves； warming themselves at their own fires； and strictly abstaining from all communications with men； who shunned them just as if they were stricken with the plague。
Thus； to take examples； the Creek and kindred Indians of the United States compelled women at menstruation to live in separate huts at some distance from the village。 There the women had to stay； at the risk of being surprised and cut off by enemies。 It was thought a most horrid and dangerous pollution to go near the women at such times； and the danger extended to enemies who； if they slew the women； had to cleanse themselves from the pollution by means of certain sacred herbs and roots。 The Stseelis Indians of British Columbia imagined that if a menstruous woman were to step over a bundle of arrows； the arrows would thereby be rendered useless and might even cause the death of their owner； and similarly that if she passed in front of a hunter who carried a gun； the weapon would never shoot straight again。 Among the Chippeways and other Indians of the Hudson Bay Territory； menstruous women are excluded from the camp； and take up their abode in huts of branches。 They wear long hoods； which effectually conceal the head and breast。 They may not touch the household furniture nor any objects used by men； for their touch is supposed to defile them； so that their subsequent use would be followed by certain mischief or misfortune； such as disease or death。 They must drink out of a swan's bone。 They may not walk on the common paths nor cross the tracks of animals。 They are never permitted to walk on the ice of rivers or lakes； or near the part where the men are hunting beaver； or where a fishing…net is set； for fear of averting their success。 They are also prohibited at those times from partaking of the head of any animal； and even from walking in or crossing the track where the head of a deer； moose； beaver； and many other animals have lately been carried； either on a sledge or on the back。 To be guilty of a violation of this custom is considered as of the greatest importance； because they firmly believe that it would be a means of preventing the hunter from having an equal success in his future excursions。 So the Lapps forbid women at menstruation to walk on that part of the shore where the fishers are in the habit of setting out their fish； and the Esquimaux of Bering Strait believe that if hunters were to come near women in their courses they would catch no game。 For a like reason the Carrier Indians will not suffer a menstruous woman to cross the tracks of animals； if need be； she is carried over them。 They think that if she waded in a stream or a lake； the fish would die。
Amongst the civilised nations of Europe the superstitions which cluster round this mysterious aspect of woman's nature are not less extravagant than those which prevail among savages。 In the oldest existing cyclopaediathe Natural History of Plinythe list of dangers apprehended from menstruation is longer than any furnished by mere barbarians。 According to Pliny； the touch of a menstruous woman turned wine to vinegar； blighted crops； killed seedlings； blasted gardens； brought down the fruit from trees； dimmed mirrors； blunted razors； rusted iron and brass （especially at the waning of the moon）； killed bees； or at least drove them from their hives； caused mares to miscarry； and so forth。 Similarly； in various parts of Europe； it is still believed that if a woman in her courses enters a brewery the beer will turn sour； if she touches beer； wine； vinegar； or milk； it will go bad； if she makes jam； it will not keep； if she mounts a mare； it will miscarry； if she touches buds； they will wither； if she climbs a cherry tree； it will die。 In Brunswick people think that if a menstruous woman assists at the killing of a pig； the pork will putrefy。 In the Greek island of Calymnos a woman at such times may not go to the well to draw water； nor cross a running stream； nor enter the sea。 Her presence in a boat is said to raise storms。
Thus the object of secluding women at menstruation is to neutralise the dangerous influences which are supposed to emanate from them at such times。 That the danger is believed to be especially great at the first menstruation appears from the unusual precautions taken to isolate girls at this crisis。 Two of these precautions have been illustrated above； namely； the rules that the girls may not touch the ground nor see the sun。 The general effect of these rules is to keep her suspended； so to say； between heaven and earth。 Whether enveloped in her hammock and slung up to the roof； as in South America； or raised above the ground in a dark and narrow cage； as in New Ireland； she may be considered to be out of the way of doing mischief； since； being shut off both from the earth and from the sun； she can poison neither of these great sources of life by her deadly contagion。 In short； she is rendered harmless by being； in electrical language； insulated。 But the precautions thus taken to isolate or insulate the girl are dictated by a regard for her own safety as well as for the safety of others。 For it is thought that she herself would suffer if she were to neglect the prescribed regimen。 Thus Zulu girls； as we have seen； believe that they would shrivel to skeletons if the sun were to shine on them at puberty； and the Macusis imagine that； if a young woman were to transgress the rules； she would suf